College football notes
Posted on Friday, December 14, 2007
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/210603/
DUKE Report: Cutcliffe offered job KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Knoxville newspaper reports that Tennessee offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe has been offered the head coaching job at Duke. The Knoxville News Sentinel quotes sources in the Tennessee football program as saying he is expected to accept the post. Cutcliffe and Tennessee Coach Phillip Fulmer did not return numerous calls from the News Sentinel seeking comment. Tennessee Athletic Director Mike Hamilton declined comment, citing a professional policy not to address coaching searches. A spokesman in the Tennessee athletic department told The Associated Press late Thursday night that she had not heard anything about Cutcliffe receiving an offer. Duke fired Ted Roof after a 1-11 record in 2007. Cutcliffe has been Tennessee offensive coordinator for two seasons. He was head coach at Ole Miss from 1999-2004. He compiled a 44-29 record and coached Ole Miss to four bowl victories and one loss. He was the only Rebels coach to win at least seven games in each of his first five seasons. The Blue Devils have won just 22 games in 13 years, including three losing streaks of 15 games or more.
HOUSTON Report: Coach hired HOUSTON — Oklahoma assistant coach Kevin Sumlin will be hired as Houston’s football coach, a newspaper reported Thursday. Houston Athletic Director Dave Maggard told the Houston Chronicle he was prepared to hire Sumlin, who has spent the past five years on Bob Stoops’ staff at Oklahoma, today. Maggard declined to comment on the newspaper report to The Associated Press. He said he would make an announcement about the head coach at a news conference today. Chris Burkhalter, Houston’s associate athletic director, confirmed to The Associated Press a news conference had been scheduled for today but didn’t elaborate. Sumlin would replace Art Briles, who resigned Nov. 28 and took over at Baylor. Sumlin has worked at Washington State, Wyoming, Minnesota, Purdue, Texas A&M and Oklahoma. He has been co-offensive coordinator for the Sooners for the past two seasons. Others who’d been considered for the Houston job included former Cougars and NFL coach Jack Pardee, Notre Dame offensive coordinator Michael Haywood, Tulsa offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and current interim coach Chris Thurmond.
LOUISVILLE RB released LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville running back Anthony Allen, who set the school’s single-game rushing record with 275 yards against Middle Tennessee on Sept. 6, has been granted a release from the program and will transfer. Allen led the Cardinals in rushing last season with 696 yards. Louisville spokesman Rocco Gasparro says Big East Conference rules prohibit Allen from transferring to another school in the conference. Gasparro also says Louisville will not release him to any school on its schedule in the next three years or to Arkansas. Former Louisville and Atlanta Falcons Coach Bobby Petrino is now the coach at Arkansas.
PAYTON AWARD Georgia Southern QB wins CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Georgia Southern quarterback Jayson Foster won the Walter Payton Award on Thursday night as the top offensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA ). Foster ran for 1, 844 yards (7. 1 yards per carry ) and 24 touchdowns this season, and completed 109 of 170 passes for 1, 203 yards and 6 touchdowns in leading his team to a 7-4 record. Foster received 24 first-place votes and 224 points out of 100 ballots cast by a panel of sports information directors and selected media. He finished 40 points ahead of Northern Iowa quarterback Eric Sanders and 58 points ahead of San Diego quarterback Josh Johnson.